Cain VelasquezUnited States

There aren't many faint-of-heart fighters in the UFC, so when it becomes known that one particular individual is having a hard time getting people to face him, you know he must be good. Step forward Cain Velasquez.

Understated outside the Octagon but capable of making huge statements inside the cage, Velasquez has been described as 'the new breed of heavyweight' by UFC co-commentator Joe Rogan. And at UFC 121 against the previous 'new breed', Brock Lesnar, Velasquez demonstrated to the world exactly how dangerous he is by destroying the defending champion inside the opening round to be crowned MMA's first Mexican heavyweight king.

Speak to those who know Velasquez, those who train with him, and they tell you his intensity is unparalleled. Currently at the American Kickboxing Academy, he is said to be unrivalled for cardio, unrivalled for wrestling capabilities, and unrivalled for his desire to keep on improving.

The statistics back up the hyperbole. Velasquez had never lost an MMA round until he was beaten by Junior Dos Santos. He was undefeated in nine fights and, even though his hands are his undoubted weakness, he boasts three Knockout of the Night honours.

As a two-time All American wrestler, Velasquez has already proved he can match most people in his weight class. Cheick Kongo was tossed to all sides of the Octagon, while Lesnar could not keep Velasquez down and had an even tougher task staying upright himself. For a man who competes among athletes with far more daunting frames, Velasquez's power is exceptional.

Defining victories include the brutal crucifix that sparked the end of Jake O'Brien, and the 251 strikes that tormented the helpless Kongo. The clean KO of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was particularly impressive too.

After victory over Lesnar elevated Velasquez to world class status, he was brought crashing down to earth by Dos Santos. But that defeat - his only loss to date - only angered the beast inside Velasquez, who has since mauled Dos Santos in a rematch to regain his belt.

Career highWhen Velasquez stepped into the same Octagon as Lesnar, he was the underdog despite a far more established background in MMA. By virtue of his exceptional wrestling and his accurate striking, the Mexican American quickly left the former WWE star a bloodied mess.

Career lowIn the UFC's "biggest ever fight" according to Dana White, Velasquez lasted just 64 seconds against Dos Santos. Picking the wrong tactics and showing a clear hole in his striking game, Velasquez was clubbed by an overhand right that finished him off before he had even got started.

Quote"He's an absolute beast. Even on the wrestling mat, you get a takedown on him and he'll come at you 100mph until he gets it back." Ryan Bader describes Cain Velasquez.

TriviaCain Velasquez's head trainer, Javier Mendez, predicted his charge would become the UFC heavyweight champion before Velasquez had even had an MMA fight.